The application process for the 2026 United Nations Regional Course in International Law for Africa is now open. Application deadline: December 12, 2025.
General information
The United Nations Regional Course in International Law for Africa is organized by the Codification Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs in cooperation with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the African Union, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
The Regional Course is scheduled to be held in person at the facilities of the ECA in Addis Ababa, from 9 April to 1 May 2026 and will be conducted in French. The course will accommodate up to 30 participants, including a limited number of spaces for self-funded participants.
The application process for the Regional Course in International Law for Africa (2026) is now open. Application deadline: December 12, 2025.
General Information
The regional course in international law for Africa is organised in cooperation with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
The Regional Course will be held in person at the ECA in Addis Ababa from April 9 to May 1, 2026, and will be conducted in French. The Regional Course can accommodate up to 30 participants, including a limited number of places for self-funded participants.
La procédure de dépôt de candidature pour le Cours régional de droit international pour l’Afrique (2026) est ouverte. Date-limite de dépôt des candidatures : 12 décembre 2025.
Informations générales
Le cours régional de droit international pour l’Afrique est organisé en coopération avec la République fédérale démocratique d’Éthiopie, l’Union africaine et la Commission économique des Nations Unies pour l’Afrique (CEA).
Le Cours régional se déroulera en présentiel à la CEA, à Addis-Abeba, du 9 avril au 1 mai 2026 et sera conduit en français. Le Cours régional pourra accueillir jusqu’à 30 participants, y compris un nombre limité de places pour des participants autofinancés.
The Codification Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs organizes the United Nations Regional Courses in International Law for Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Objectives
The Regional Courses provide high-quality training by leading scholars and practitioners on a broad range of core subjects of international law, as well as specific subjects of particular interest in a given region. In addition, the interactive nature of the training allows the participants to share experiences and exchange ideas, which promotes greater understanding and cooperation on legal matters in the region.
The Regional Courses are intended to enable qualified professionals, in particular government officials and teachers of international law from developing countries and countries with emerging economies, to deepen their knowledge of international law and of the legal work of the United Nations and its associated bodies.
Course content
The Regional Courses consist of seminars given by prominent international law scholars and practitioners from different regions and legal systems.
The Regional Courses may include seminars on the following topics:
The Regional Courses are conducted in the form of interactive seminars and discussions to allow a maximum exchange of views. The participants are expected to contribute to the discussions on the various topics included in the curriculum of the Regional Courses.
At the beginning of the Regional Course. a comprehensive set of training materials is provided to each participant for him/her to keep.
Certificates are awarded only to those participants who have completed the Regional Course in its entirety.
Background
The United Nations Regional Courses in International Law were launched under the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law, established by General Assembly resolution 2099 (XX) of 20 December 1965 and most recently mandated by General Assembly resolution 74/185 of 18 December 2019.
The Regional Courses have been held periodically since 1967 depending on the willingness of a Government to host such a course and voluntary contributions for funding the course. To date, more than thirty-five Regional Courses have been held in various countries. With the advent of regular budget funding for the Regional Courses beginning in 2016, Regional Courses are held for Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean every year.
Financial arrangements
For those participants receiving a fellowship, the fellowship will cover travel, accommodation, meals, medical insurance, and training materials. Fellowship recipients will also receive a modest stipend to cover other living expenses in accordance with the policies and procedures governing the administration of United Nations fellowships.
There will also be a limited number of spaces for self-funded participants. With the exception of training materials, self-funded participants bear all costs associated with their participation in the Regional Course (e.g. travel, medical insurance, accommodation and living expenses).
Dispositions financières et logement
Pour les participants qui bénéficieront d’une bourse, celle-ci couvrira les frais de voyage, le logement, les repas, l’assurance maladie, et l’ensemble du matériel de formation. Les titulaires d’une bourse recevront également une indemnité modique couvrant leurs autres frais de séjour, conformément aux politiques et procédures régissant l’administration des bourses des Nations Unies.
Il y aura également un nombre limité de places pour des participants autofinancés. À l’exception du matériel de formation, les participants autofinancés supporteront tous les coûts associés à leur participation au cours régional (par exemple, frais de déplacement, d’hébergement et de subsistance, assurance maladie).
Qualifications of applicants
To qualify to be considered for the Regional Courses, candidates must have a legal background with professional experience in the field of international law. Candidates must also be fluent in the language in which the Course is offered (French in 2026). The selected candidates are required to certify that they are able to attend the course in its entirety. The Regional Course accommodates up to 30 participants.
This Regional Course is open to candidates from Member States of the United Nations which are also members of the African Group.
Selection process
When selecting participants for the Regional Courses, due consideration is given to the candidates’ qualifications, to the scope of their professional duties, to the relevance of the training to their professional duties, and to gender balance. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the application and selection process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information on candidates’ bank accounts.
Do I have to submit my application via my sponsoring institution or my Government?
No. Your sponsoring institution has to fill out certain parts of your application form, but you can send the completed form directly to the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs.
Can only Governments nominate candidates to attend the Regional Course?
No. The Regional Course is also open to academia and professionals from intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and similar institutions engaged in international law activities in the relevant region. Current staff members of the United Nations are not eligible. Candidates who are not government officials can be nominated by the institution which they work for or with which they are affiliated.
What is the difference between fellowship participants and self-funded participants?
Fellowship participants and self-funded participants are selected through the same application process, and are subject to the same selection criteria. They have the same rights and obligations in the Regional Course, attend the same lectures, participate in the same activities, and receive the same certificate at the end of the course.
For participants receiving a fellowship, the fellowship will cover travel, accommodation, meals, medical insurance, participation in the Regional Course and the training materials. Fellowship recipients will also receive a modest stipend to cover other living expenses in accordance with the policies and procedures governing the administration of United Nations fellowships.
For self-funded participants, costs associated with their participation in the Regional Course (e.g. travel, medical insurance, accommodation, living expenses) will not be covered. However, training material are provided for all participants.
What does the stipend provided for fellowship participants cover?
The stipend that fellowship participants receive reflects local living costs (food, public transport, etc.) and suffices for a decent but by no means luxurious living standard. Accommodation is provided without charge. The stipend rates are set by United Nations regulations and can vary significantly from year to year, depending on the US Dollar exchange rate.
The fellowship covers medical insurance; however, many medical institutions require advance payment for services. The stipend does not include funds for such advance payments and selected fellows should therefore bear this in mind when preparing for their stay.
Does it make sense to apply for the Regional Course for someone who is still a student?
No, the Regional Courses provide training for professionals who have acquired some practical experience in the field of international law.
I have applied for the Regional Courses in the past but was not selected. Can I re-apply this year?
Yes. You will, however, have to submit a new complete application to the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs.
Is it possible to attend only part of the Regional Course or only those courses that are of particular interest to me?
No. If selected, you undertake to attend the Regional Course in its entirety, without exceptions.
Can the same country nominate several candidates?
Yes. Countries are strongly encouraged to nominate several candidates, as long as they all meet the required qualifications. Please note that a candidate’s chances do not necessarily increase if he or she is the only applicant from a specific country.
Dois-je soumettre ma candidature par l’intermédiaire de l’institution ou du Gouvernement qui la soutient?
Non. L’institution qui soutient votre candidature doit remplir certaines parties du formulaire de candidature mais vous pouvez adresser ce formulaire directement à la Division de la codification du Bureau des affaires juridiques.
La nomination de candidat(e)s au cours régional est-elle réservée seuls aux Gouvernements?
Non. Le cours régional est également ouvert aux universitaires et aux professionnels des organisations internationales et non-gouvernementales ou d’autres institutions similaires impliquées dans des activités en lien avec le droit international dans les pays concernés. Les bourses ne sont pas ouvertes aux candidat(e)s étant actuellement membres du personnel des Nations Unies. Les candidat(e)s qui ne proviennent pas de la fonction publique nationale peuvent être présenté(e)s par l’institution qui les emploie ou avec laquelle ils/elles sont associé(e)s.
Quelle différence y a-t’il entre les boursiers et les participants autofinancés ?
La sélection des boursiers et des participants autofinancés est effectuée selon une procédure et des critères identiques. Les boursiers et les participants autofinancés ont les mêmes droits et obligations dans le cadre du cours régional, assistent aux mêmes cours, participent aux mêmes activités et reçoivent un certificat identique à l’issue du cours.
Pour les boursiers, la bourse couvrira les frais de voyage, le logement, les repas, l’assurance maladie, et l’ensemble du matériel de formation. Les boursiers recevront également une indemnité modique couvrant leurs autres frais de séjour, conformément aux politiques et procédures régissant l’administration des bourses des Nations Unies.
Pour les participants autofinancés les frais entraînés par leur participation au cours régional (par exemple, les frais de déplacement, d’hébergement, de subsistance et l’assurance maladie) ne seront pas couverts. Cependant, le matériel de formation sont offerts à tous les participants.
Que couvre l’indemnité versée dans le cadre du cours régional ?
L’indemnité correspond aux coûts de la vie à Addis-Abeba (alimentation, transports publics, etc.) et permet de faire face de manière raisonnable, sans être luxueuse, aux frais encourus. Nous vous rappelons que le logement est fourni sans frais. Les taux d’indemnité sont déterminés selon les normes des Nations Unies et peuvent varier de manière significative d’une année à l’autre, en fonction notamment du taux de change du dollar américain.
L’indemnité couvre l’assurance maladie ; cependant, les institutions médicales exigent généralement un paiement à l’avance des services. L’indemnité n’inclut pas ces frais d’avance et les boursiers devraient tenir compte de cela en préparation de leur séjour.
Les étudiants peuvent-ils présenter leur candidature au cours régional ?
Non. Le cours régional est destiné à des personnes en activité qui ont déjà acquis une expérience pratique dans le domaine du droit international.
J’ai présenté ma candidature au cours régional par le passé mais n’ai pas été retenu(e). Puis-je présenter de nouveau ma candidature cette année ?
Oui. Toutefois, vous devez de nouveau soumettre un formulaire de candidature complet à la Division de la codification du Bureau des affaires juridiques.
Est-il possible de n’assister qu’à une partie du cours régional ou de ne suivre que les cours qui m’intéressent particulièrement ?
Non. En cas de sélection, vous vous engagez à suivre le cours régional dans son intégralité, sans exception possible.
Un même pays peut-il présenter plusieurs candidat(e)s ?
Oui. La présentation par un même pays de plusieurs candidat(e)s est fortement encouragée, dès lors que ceux-ci répondent aux qualifications requises. Veuillez noter que les chances d’un(e) candidat(e) n’augmentent pas nécessairement si sa candidature est la seule que présente un pays.
Contact
For further information about the Regional Course, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions.
If you have any additional questions, you are welcome to contact the Codification Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs at rcil-africa@un.org.
Source: https://legal.un.org/poa/rcil/africa/
Contact
Pour des informations additionnelles sur le cours régional, veuillez consulter les Questions fréquentes.
Si vous avez d’autres questions, n’hésitez pas à contacter la Division de la codification du Bureau des affaires juridiques des Nations Unies à l’adresse suivante : rcil-africa@un.org.
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